The Phillies announced that former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel had been released.
Originally drafted No. 1 overall by the Astros in 2013, Appel landed with the Phillies in December of 2015 as one of the principle pieces in the trade that sent then-closer Ken Giles to Houston. He endured two rough years at triple-A Lehigh Valley before deciding to retire, a decision that lasted three full years.Mark Appel was once a can’t-miss prospect. Nine years later, the Phillies could finally make him a major leaguer.
While Appel pitched well enough in his cameo to finish the season with a 1.74 ERA, he entered this spring as a non-roster invitee who did not appear to have much of a shot at winning a big-league job. He allowed seven runs in 5⅔ innings of Grapefruit League play for a Phillies team that added a number of potential triple-A arms this offseason. He will now enter free agency at 31 years old.
From the moment Appel returned to the Phillies after his three-year hiatus, he made it clear that he was doing so with realistic expectations. Whether or not he catches on with another team, he may have some future as a writer. According to his latest update on Twitter, his new blog already has over 1,000 subscribers.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hunting for clues in the Phillies’ bench competition: Outfielders (maybe Jake Cave?) wantedManager Rob Thomson is looking for a righty-hitting backup center fielder. But he also noted Kyle Schwarber's lack of playing time in the outfield this spring. Might that boost Cave's chances?
Read more »
New and improved: Huge Phillies logo, scoreboard nearly complete at Citizens Bank ParkA massive scoreboard is currently being installed at Citizens Bank Park, and it looks to be almost complete.
Read more »
Braves 5, Phillies 1: Touted prospect Mick Abel dazzles in cameo start vs. Atlanta’s starsThe 21-year-old right-hander retired six of seven batters, including strikeouts of Atlanta heavy hitters Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley.
Read more »
Phillies’ Trea Turner powers U.S. into World Baseball Classic semifinals with late grand slam vs. VenezuelaThe United States had just a 13% chance of beating Venezuela after falling into a 7-5 hole. After Turner's blast, the odds soared to 87%.
Read more »
Phillies have trademarked ‘Bedlam at the Bank’The iconic moment in Phillies history is now a registered slogan.
Read more »
Red Sox 9, Phillies 5: Former prospect Hans Crouse resurfaces in minor-league pitching paradeCrouse, who was limited to five starts last year at triple-A Lehigh Valley because of elbow issues, pitched a scoreless inning on Sunday.
Read more »